"Adrenaline MMA V" canceled for March 20 but could be rescheduled for April

A March 20 date for “Adrenaline MMA V” has been called off due to the cancellation of a concert that was scheduled to go on in conjunction with the MMA event.

Bernie Profato, the executive director of the Ohio Athletic Commission, on Tuesday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Adrenaline MMA promoter Monte Cox made a request to have his event permit moved from March 20 in Youngstown, Ohio, to April in Findlay, Ohio, at a date to be determined.

The news comes shortly after Tim Sylvia, who was expected to headline the event against Branden Lee Hinkle, on Tuesday afternoon posted a Twitter message that the fight has been called off.

The former UFC heavyweight champion said another fight is in the works.

Cox was not immediately available for comment.

Profato said the cancellation arose when the concert’s promoter pulled the show over a conflict with a local labor union. The promoter had hired Cox to promote the MMA portion of the March 20 event.

Sylvia, 33, was originally scheduled to face longtime nemesis and “The Ultimate Fighter 10″ veteran Wes Sims at the March 20 event, but Profato nixed the bout this past week after ruling the match-up “non-competitive.” Hinkle was then slotted to face Sylvia and Sims drew “The Ultimate Fighter 2″ castmate Kerry Schall.

After a difficult stretch of three straight losses, Sylvia returned to the win column this past September when he defeated Jason Riley by TKO at “Adrenaline MMA 4.” Three months prior, the 6-foot-8 giant fell fast and hard to former boxing champion Ray Mercer at “Adrenaline MMA 3.”

Following the break-up of M-1 Global’s American wing in 2008, promoter Cox formed Adrenaline MMA and has focused on utilizing Midwest-based talent to fill out the organization’s fight cards.

(Pictured: Tim Sylvia)

Steven Marrocco is a staff reporter for MMAjunkie.com and an MMA contributor for The Vancouver Sun.